Large-scale evacuation after hillside collapse on Kedarnath route
RUDRAPRAYAG: Rescue and disaster-response teams removed about 1,500 pilgrims from a treacherous stretch of the Kedarnath pedestrian route on Monday after a landslide deposited debris near the Chirbasa helipad, officials said.
The operation was carried out by a joint contingent of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the District Disaster Response Force (DDRF), following reports that large numbers of devotees were stranded roughly 3 km beyond Gaurikund. The Sonprayag police initially alerted rescue teams after receiving information about the blockage late on Sunday night, the SDRF said in a press statement.
"Teams arrived and found debris accumulated on the road near the Chirbasa helipad, with continuous rockfalls from the hillside making movement extremely hazardous," the SDRF statement said.
Sub-Inspector Ashish Dimri, who led the SDRF party that reached the site from Sonprayag, coordinated the operation alongside NDRF and DDRF personnel. The joint teams cleared safe passages where possible, guided groups of pilgrims through the affected zone and escorted them back to Gaurikund for onward movement and shelter, according to the statement.
Conditions that prompted the rescue
The action followed a landslide near Chirbasa that left boulders and mud obstructing the pedestrian track. Continuous rockfall from the adjacent slope compounded the risk for those attempting to cross, officials said. The incident occurred amid persistent heavy rain across parts of Uttarakhand that has already disrupted the Char Dham Yatra for several days.
Authorities noted that the Char Dham pilgrimage had been suspended for a second consecutive day on Sunday in view of incessant downpours. The landslide and subsequent evacuation underscore how quickly conditions can deteriorate on high-altitude pilgrimage routes during the monsoon and post-monsoon period.
On-the-ground response and safety measures
Rescue teams prioritised moving pilgrims away from the immediate danger zone rather than attempting rapid large-scale clearance of the entire slide area. Officials said the focus was on safe evacuation and ensuring pilgrims reached designated transit points, where arrangements for shelter and onward travel could be made.
- Rescue agencies involved: SDRF, NDRF and DDRF coordinated the evacuation.
- Location: Chirbasa area, about 3 km beyond Gaurikund on the Kedarnath route.
- Leadership on site: SDRF team from Sonprayag led by Sub-Inspector Ashish Dimri.
Officials told disaster-management authorities that pilgrims were escorted to Gaurikund after being guided across the hazardous segment. Local administrations often use designated transit points to stabilise pilgrim movement when sections of the track become unsafe; in this instance, Gaurikund served as the primary assembly location.
Wider implications for the Char Dham Yatra
The episode highlights the vulnerability of pilgrimage routes during periods of heavy rain. Uttarakhand's mountainous terrain is prone to slope failures and sudden rockfall, particularly when soil saturation increases following prolonged precipitation.
Authorities have previously suspended the Yatra in response to similar forecasts issued by the meteorological department, reasoning that safety of devotees must take precedence. District administrations retain the authority to halt movement locally if weather or road conditions deteriorate further, officials said in related communications.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number evacuated | ~1,500 |
| Location of incident | Chirbasa area, near Chirbasa helipad (Kedarnath trek) |
| Response teams | SDRF, NDRF, DDRF |
Officials have urged caution for those planning to undertake the Yatra in the immediate future, advising pilgrims to check for local advisories and allow flexibility in travel schedules. District administrations continue to monitor weather warnings and the stability of travel routes, and have been instructed to keep Yatra nodal officers and relevant departments on alert.
No casualties linked to this landslide were reported in the SDRF statement. The focus now shifts to clearing the blocked section safely, assessing slope stability and restoring regular foot movement once conditions permit, the statement added.
Given the scale of pilgrim movement on the Kedarnath route during the season, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for resilient contingency planning and rapid inter-agency coordination to protect lives when natural hazards strike the high mountain terrain.
